Firebox bearer or expansion pad



Feb. 11,1947. A, A L I 2,415,770

FIRE-BOX BEARER 0R EXPANSION PAD- Filed Sept. 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Feb. 11, 1947. I A. J. TAYLOR 2,415,770

FIRE-BOX BEARER OR EXPANS IO'NPAD Filed Sept. 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet '2flzzw gvra zw H w Patented Feb. 11,1947

-lTED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREBOX BEARER R EXPANSION PAD Albert J.Taylor, Atlanta, Ga.

Application September 22, 1944, Serial No. 555,341

1 Claim. 3

This invention relates to a fire-box bearer or expansion pad and hasrelation particularly to a device of this kind for use in connectionwith locomotives, and it is primarily an object of the invention toprovide a bearer or pad whereby the major portion of the weight of thefire-box is carried by the frame of the engine.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a bearer or pad of thiskind which is constructed and applied in a manner to take care of theexpansion and contraction of the locomotive boiler.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bearer or padwhich allows for the elimination of the boiler sheet which is nowcommonly in use, thus dispensing with the objectionable features ofboiler sheet breakage or the working loose and breaking oil of the boltsemployed in connection with such sheet.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of m improved fire-boxbearer or expansion pad whereby certain important advantages areattained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a portion of the rear of a locomotive frame,together with a portion of a boiler, showing the application between thetwo of the bearer or expansion comprising the presen invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure Figure 4 isa view in top plan of the device forming the present invention;

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of the inner side of the bearer;

Figure 6 is a View in perspective of a shim or wedge plate used inconjunction with the bearer; and

Figure '7 is a view in perspective of another form of the shim or wedgeplate.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, F denotes the rear portion ofa'locomotive frame and upon the rear extremity of each of the trusses Ithereof is placed a bearer or expansion pad B.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the bearer or pad Bcomprises a plate 2 which rests from above upon a truss i at a desiredlocation and a marginal portion of the plate 2 is defined by a dependingflange 3 which overlies the inner side of the truss I.

The plate 2 at substantially its transverse center is provided with anupstanding attaching plate l disposed transversely of the plate I andrigid therewith. This plate 4 is secured by the bolts 5 to the boiler 6,thereby eliminating the necessity of using a boiler sheet as is nowgenerally done.

The bolts 5 are preferably five in number and in staggered relation'andto allow the application of such bolts 5, the plate 4 is providedtherethrough with suitably positioned openings 1. The plates 2 and 4have coacting therewith the reinforcing rib 8 at the side of the plate 4remote from the boiler.

The portion of the trus l of the frame upon which the bearer or pad ispositioned, as is the general type, is downwardly inclined and tocompensate for such inclination the shims or wedge- 5 the plate 2 beingmaintained level.

The lower marginal portion of the flange 2 is provided therealong withthe inwardly disposed lip It which closely underlies the adjacentmarginal portion of the top flange H of the truss l, whereby the beareror pad is effectively held in place through the medium of the appliedshims or wedge members.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that afire-box bearer or expansion pad constructed in accordance with myinvention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of theconvenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

What is claimed is:

An expansion pad support for supporting a locomotive boiler on a frametruss, comprising a plate adapted to be positioned horizontally on thetruss, an upstanding plate disposed transversely of the horizontal plateto stand upright therefrom in a plane extending transversely of thetruss, an integral flange extending downwardly from one longitudinaledge of the first plate to extend across an edge of the truss, a lipformed integral with the lower edge of said flange and directed inwardlybeneath and in spaced relation with the flange for disposition beneaththe frame truss, the said upstanding plate being disposed in a planeinclined from the vertical with respect to the working horizontal planeof the first plate to form an obtuse angle on one side, and a bracingweb connected between the plates in the said obtuse angle.

UNITED STATES PATENTS J. I Number Name D t 1,784,787 Elliott Dec. 9,1930 REFERENCES CITED 5 2,191,407 Maris Feb, 20, 1940 The followingreferences are of record in the 848,044 Patrick Mar. 26, 1907 file ofthis patent: 1,861 949 Blunt June '7, 1932

